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As for high definition, do you think that if DirecTV were to add MTV2 HD, Nick Jr. HD, and TV Land HD, it may happen during the period of this new contract? (I haven't read anything about any of the trio's HD playing a role with this new agreement.)

As for high definition, do you think that if DirecTV were to add MTV2 HD, Nick Jr. HD, and TV Land HD, it may happen during the period of this new contract? (I haven't read anything about any of the trio's HD playing a role with this new agreement.)

Now that they have a deal, and it includes digital rights, it's probably more possible now then it was, with possibly the remaining factor just being where those channels appear on a bandwidth allocation priority list.

I'd guess that they know how much bandwidth is available between now and D14, know what HD channels they'd like to launch and in what priority, and once contracts get done they can decide on launch dates, whether it stays right on schedule, moves up, or waits for D14.

I really have to laugh about all of these people who want to see TVLand's 1950's tv shows in HD. Give me a break.

Have you watched TCM HD since it went live, mitchflorida? Even though much of their programming is 70 year old movies, and everything is upconverted from SD to HD so we aren't seeing any real HD transfers, the older movies look much better now. The change from an SD broadcast to an HD one exceeded my expectations.

A simple up convert of SD to HD is a tremendous improvement due to the limited SD bandwidth. We talked in the past of just up converting SD for some channels, but it's not clear if they need rights to do that.

A simple up convert of SD to HD is a tremendous improvement due to the limited SD bandwidth. We talked in the past of just up converting SD for some channels, but it's not clear if they need rights to do that.

They could change selected SD channels to MPEG4 and give them more bandwidth and they would look pretty damned good, too.

I have been reading this site for years and it is quite simple that you can sum up the current status as the following:

Directv negotiates long term deals with digital rights and HD access to channels. If they have digital rights right now, then you know that HD is available for them to add.

HD is limited based on technological and financial considerations. As a business, they decide after "acquiring" the rights when and if they will add it to the lineup. Again, if they have digital rights to a provider, then you know what HD is available.

Infrastructure creates a lag between acquiring the rights and executing it into the lineup.

Providers need wide distribution, therefore put pressure to be on low pay tiers. This is a way to leverage higher gross money. The higher selective tier the harder to make a money unless a high premium channel.

Directv does not want to ever be in short term deals or negotiating one channel that is popular. This limits their leverage as a very large provider. Also, digital rights is a great strategy to limit cutting the cord movement.

My WAG guess is that the premium for HD will disappear in these deals as they become comprehensive in nature. So true will be our bill when HD penetration reaches a threshold which is still in the distant horizon. Satteliteracer reminds us of our minority status in the big picture. The only rejoiner is that I am a high value customer with a bill that averages over $170 a month.

Anyway, I read Sixto because technology allows Directv to dribble out HD in the next 24-36 months. When the next sattelite is up, then they can grow the HD content beyond dribbling. In addition, they have a long term plan to make SD being able to use the HD feeds. When this happens all channels will be HD. That date will make this thread superfluous.

Per today's Viacom deal, it's obvious that digital rights is key to any new deal most likely.

Sixto you bring up an interesting point, DIY and Cooking are two channels in SD I would love in HD, both of those channels currently are not streamed. So i would imagine the HD and online streaming are intertwined.

Also, with the Pac12 info that broke yesterday that you will need a TV provider aligned with them to watch streaming events things are starting to add up. Seems all new deals will include online access if at all possible.

Have you watched TCM HD since it went live, mitchflorida? Even though much of their programming is 70 year old movies, and everything is upconverted from SD to HD so we aren't seeing any real HD transfers, the older movies look much better now. The change from an SD broadcast to an HD one exceeded my expectations.

I'd like to see Fuse HD - they actually show music videos... I'd like to see Fox/FX Movie channel HD-they have a good mix of classic and modern movie hits. EPIX HD-just because. CWHD east or west-pq is just horrible in SD...

This has me wondering what other programming is up for contractual renewal. I was thinking someone mentioned Discovery near the end of the year. (Not sure if that's accurate recall.)

TVLand has sort of returned to its roots for part of the day. I Love Lucy. Dick Van Dyke. Andy Griffith. Bonanza. Gun smoke. Leave It to Beaver. They have stuff from the 90s too and their own new stuff (HD) but they have gone back to classics more or less.

TVLand has sort of returned to its roots for part of the day. I Love Lucy. Dick Van Dyke. Andy Griffith. Bonanza. Gun smoke. Leave It to Beaver. They have stuff from the 90s too and their own new stuff (HD) but they have gone back to classics more or less.

I'm glad they're going back to the old shows, but unfortunately they butcher them up pretty badly because of so much commercial time.